


The Sad Goodbye that Wasn't Quite a Goodbye at All.

by tawg



Category: A Bit of Fry and Laurie
Genre: Gen, I love how their conversations are always so careful and precise but also so silly, M/M, innocent and awkward, it was a lot of fun to write, retirement party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-27
Updated: 2009-07-27
Packaged: 2018-10-15 08:31:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10553266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tawg/pseuds/tawg
Summary: Control is retiring, and Tony is sad that Control is retiring.





	

Tony looked around the main area of the office. Desks had been pushed back against the wall, and loose balloons were being kicked about by the shifting feet of idle conversation. It would be one pretty mess to clean up come Monday morning, but oh well. It was a very special occasion, after all.

“Control, what do you think you shall do with your time now that you are retiring?” Tony asked.

“Well, I shan’t be called ‘Control’ anymore, and I imagine that shall take some getting used to,” Control replied.

“Oh yes,” Tony said. “I keep forgetting that you shan’t be Control after tonight.”

“Yes,” Control replied. “Though I do think that my replacement will be entirely deserving of the title, don’t you agree Tony?”

Tony coloured a little. “Yes,” he replied. “At least, I shall try.”

“You will do a fine job, Tony. Or should I be calling you Control?”

Tony’s brow furrowed. “If I were to be Control then I wouldn’t know what to call you. We can’t both be Control, after all.”

“And my name isn’t Tony,” Control agreed.

“Perhaps it would be simplest for you to remain being Control, and for myself to remain Tony for the time being?”

“Yes,” Control replied. “I do think that should be simplest.”

Tony watched the party around them for a moment. Even with all of the lights on the office was still rather dark at night – good lighting had never been required, as Control had made sure that everyone was off home by five-thirty every afternoon. Tony frowned. It would be very strange not having Control sitting in his office, controlling everything that went on. And it would be even stranger to be sitting in his office, _being_ Control. He had been on the phone all evening asking the enemy spies if they could kindly take the evening off, as the office was having a party. Having that kind of responsibility every day was daunting.

“I say, Tony, you do look troubled. Is there something on your mind?”

“Yes, Control, I am troubled. I was just thinking that I shall miss you terribly, and wondering how I shall possibly manage at being Control.”

“I have left notes on when to feed Simon.”

“Thank you,” Tony replied. “Feeding Simon was one thing that I was worrying about especially.”

Control looked mildly sad for a moment. “I shall miss you too, Tony, as well as your timely coffees.”

Tony felt a great sadness well up inside him at the thought of not seeing Control every day, of not having their little conversations. Tony never had conversations with anyone the same way he had conversations with Control. He was never quite so careful in preparing anyone’s coffee.

“Control?” Tony said at length.

“Yes, Tony?”

“Now that you have retired, would you mind terribly if I did something that was not in keeping with the standard staff-dash-Control working relationship?”

“As I am no longer Control, no, I would not mind terribly.”

Tony snuck a quick look around the room, to make sure the secretaries were appropriately engaged, before closing his eyes and leaning over to press a kiss against Control’s cheek. When Tony pulled away, Control looked very surprised indeed.

“I say, Tony, it has been quite a while since Misses Control has done that.”

“I do say, Control. I hope that my actions haven’t been at all out of line.”

“Not at all, Tony,” said Control, with a small smile. “Rather, the actions were quite appreciated.”

“I see,” said Tony. “I am glad.”

There was a brief and gentle silence between them.

“The party does seem to be winding down,” Tony said at last.

“Yes,” said Control. “It does.”

“Control?”

“Yes, Tony?”

“Since this is your last night in the office, would you like a last cup of coffee?”

“Oh yes, Tony. That would be wonderful.”

“I’ll just go and make it then, shall I?” Tony replied, standing up.

“Tony?”

“Yes, Control?”

Control had a very pleasant smile on his face, one that Tony had not seen before. “Would you mind terribly if I accompanied you?”

Tony coloured slightly, in a pleasing way. “No, Control. I wouldn’t mind at all.”


End file.
